Of all the bad things said about Dick Murphy before 2004, he was never thought to have been a crook. If the word "corruption" was ever associated with his name, it was a small-c kind …
January 6, 2005
News & Stories
Only Dick Murphy and his intimates know what's going on at San Diego city hall
Cream of the Cream
Retracing my steps, I have stumbled upon a subjective new measurement for an unexciting year of movies. There was exactly one new release in 2004 -- I am almost shocked at the realization -- that …
January 6, 2005
Watery Grave
The demise in the great tsunami of Poom Jensen, grandson of Thai king Bhumipol Adulyadej, brought a torrent of local press coverage last week. On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Times described the dead 21-year-old as …
January 6, 2005
Pee Wee and Me
"Julia" was always one of my favorite Beatles ballads. Now it would be one of my favorite party people. She called to invite me to her Pee Wee Herman party. I refrained from making a …
January 6, 2005
Cabernet Paint
“I was drinking these great bottles and saying to my wife, ‘This is out of control!’ ”
Stadium Drum Beat
When the Union-Tribune gets that old special-interest bit in its mouth, it seldom lets go. Witness the recent spate of stories the paper has run about how decrepit the once-mighty Qualcomm Stadium has purportedly become. …
January 6, 2005
Abbey’s Barbecued Pinto Beans
By Athena Shlemon, Owner/Chef, Abbey's Real Texas Bar-B-Q — Mira Mesa I'm a rice person. Rice and beans are my favorite things to eat. I mix them up and eat them together. Anybody can make …
January 6, 2005
Open House: Of Family, Friends, Food, Piano Lessons, and the Search for a Room of My Own
Open House: Of Family, Friends, Food, Piano Lessons, and the Search for a Room of My Own. Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 272 pages; $24. FROM THE DUST JACKET: Open House gathers observations, reminiscences, anecdotes, and …
January 6, 2005
Conspiracy of Deliberate Ignorance
City government's culture of secrecy has bred something worse: a culture of deceit. The history of the 2002 ballpark bonds proves the point. Federal and local investigators, in their criminal and civil probes into the …
January 6, 2005
Friends in high places
He's been an aide to Democratic ex-congressman Lionel Van Deerlin, top lieutenant for onetime Republican city councilman Uvaldo Martinez, local functionary for the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, and executive director of Democratic ex-governor Gray …
January 6, 2005
She Left Her Hair In the Bushes
When Bill Howell and Judy Alvarez team up to take visitors on hikes in Mission Trails Regional Park, they have the group look on the path for stink beetle butts. That allows Howell to talk …
January 6, 2005
Enjoy a panoramic view of the San Gabriel Valley from the top of Santa Anita Ridge.
Winding its way lazily upward onto a ridge of the San Gabriel Mountains, San Olene Fire Road leads to a spectacular viewpoint overlooking the San Gabriel Valley and much of the Los Angeles Basin. The …
January 6, 2005
Manhood Challenge
“It became a catering business. Soon, she couldn’t fit it all into our kitchen.”
January 6, 2005
Local Pyle
"Area bands are seeing a renaissance in all the attention they're getting."
January 6, 2005
Local Clothing Company Sik World Productions
Local clothing company Sik World Productions is attracting media scrutiny over its new line of "Sik Kidz" baby clothes. Selling for around $16 retail, shirts for tots are emblazoned with logos like "I'm the Baby …
January 6, 2005
A New Tijuana Music Venue Called Voodoo House
A new Tijuana music venue called Voodoo House opened three months ago. It is booked by Mario Velasco, a longtime Ensenada promoter who moved up to Tijuana to run the Voodoo House with partner Pedro …
January 6, 2005
The Planet
The Planet (103.7 FM) and its sister station, soft-rock KYXY (96.5 FM), are installing the Audio Vault system, where songs and commercials are digitally stored as computer files. Presently the Planet and KYXY depend on …
January 6, 2005
A Waterproof iPod Case
A waterproof iPod case manufactured by a local company, the SV Mini, gets a poor review from the Modesto Bee (12-27-04): "The folks at San Diego--based H20 Audio have come out with a sealed waterproof …
January 6, 2005
After Putting Out
After putting out No Cover magazine for seven years, Mark Rasmussen suspended publication of his free all-music magazine in July. Now No Cover is back with a new format (all glossy), a price ($2.99), and …
January 6, 2005
"My Back's Still Killing Me"
"My back's still killing me," says jazz wind instrumentalist Chris Klich, "but I managed to mow the lawn today." "What happened to your back?" "Threw it out...and rather than getting better, as it usually does, …
January 6, 2005
In an Article at CNN.com
In an article at CNN.com entitled "The Best Albums You Didn't Hear," Pinback's Summer in Abaddon is called "quite possibly the most intriguing album recorded in 2004. The San Diego duo has stepped beyond its …
January 6, 2005
Before As I Lay Dying
Before As I Lay Dying played Las Vegas venue The Joint December 28, an area periodical wrote, "Tim Lambesis, vocalist for rising metalcore act As I Lay Dying...has watched bands that were once underground darlings …
January 6, 2005
Diva Claus
Karen: "Grace, it's Christmas, for goodness sake. Think about the baby Jesus, up in that tower, letting his hair down so that the three wise men can climb up and spin the dreidel and see …
January 6, 2005
Politically Correct Christmas
Federal agent John Parish entered the room with local Internal Revenue Service territory managers. The casual meeting was off-site during the holiday season. "Merry Christmas," Parish greeted his coworkers. Parish's supervisor corrected him, "It's Happy …
January 6, 2005
Fresh Start
I've stepped out of the darkened cave — or, more precisely, have exited the animal den known in another life as my living room, to stroll in fresh air and reconnect my chakra with living …
January 6, 2005
Cold Weather Beverages
Margaritas are the signature cocktail of the Kelly household. As hot days turn to warm evenings from April until Halloween or so, we often sit with friends on the deck, slurping down the slushy, limey …
January 6, 2005
Delayed Whomp
I spent all last summer without a lick of barbecue crossing my lips. So by late fall, the craving for the taste of smoke reached a crisis. I began a quest for new "Qs" and …
January 6, 2005
The mystery of the four-way stop
Heymatt: Clockwise, beginning with the car furthest to the right of all others, one at a time. What is so difficult about that? Apparently, roughly half of the drivers in San Diego (according to my …
January 6, 2005